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16 April 2012

South Africa: New rhino laws gazetted

South Africa's Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa, published new norms and standards for marking rhino horn and trophy hunting for immediate implementation.
According to the new norms and standards, all live rhinos sold and transported after the commencement of these norms and standards that have not been micro-chipped before, or where the micro-chip is no longer detectable must be micro-chipped on the left shoulder of the rhino and on each of its horns. All rhino horns, whether acquired by a legal dehorning procedure, natural mortality or where the rhino has lost its horn in a natural manner must be micro-chipped within five days of acquiring the horn. In addition to micro-chips, if the horn or part of it was more than 5cm in length, the issuing authority would mark it with indelible ink.

Regarding the hunting of rhinos, applicants now have, in addition to the application for an actual hunting permit, to submit proof of membership of a hunting association recognised by the applicant's country of residence, a curriculum vitae indicating the applicant's hunting experience, proof of previous experience in hunting an African species, and a copy of the applicant's passport.
The new norms and standards are also stating that a hunting client can hunt only one white rhino for trophy purposes within a 12-month period, that rhino hunts have to take place in the presence of an environmental management inspector, or an official of the issuing authority authorised to conduct compliance inspections, and that the horns, together with the rest of the trophy, have to be transported by a duly authorised person directly to the taxidermy or similar facility to be processed and prepared for export.
Click here to download the Gazette No. 35248 of 10 April 2012 (pdf).